# Gridded Urban Apartment Blocks Office for Strategic Places Designs La Carboneria Block By Amy Duong | Published 2023-05-13 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/la-carboneria References: [dezeen](https://www.dezeen.com/2023/05/12/office-for-strategic-spaces-la-carboneria-barcelona-apartment-block/) & [o-s-s.org](https://www.o-s-s.org/)  Spanish design studio [Office for Strategic Spaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/villain-house) refurbishes a [19th-century housing block](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bureau-des-mesarchitecture) located in Barcelona dubbed La Carboneria. It was previously a [neglected yard space](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/casa-sofia) and is in the city's Eixample district, which is recognized for its gridded urban plan originally designed by Ildefons Cedrá. The practice explains that "[The original architect] was forced to plan facades to all four sides of the building, unsure where the main streets would be and which one his building would face. Over a century and a half later, the facade that faced the never-built boulevard had to be recovered, its larger windows unblocked, even if they now overlooked two intersecting party walls instead of Barcelona's version of the Champs Elysées." Image Credit: Office for Strategic Spaces ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.4/10 - Popularity: 65% | Activity: 21% | Freshness: 16% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Gridded Urban Design:** Designing buildings to fit within gridded urban plans can revitalize neglected spaces and create new opportunities for modernization. - **Sustainable Building Restoration:** Revamping old structures with modern design elements can create chic, sustainable living spaces that make use of pre-existing materials. - **Adaptive Reuse:** Giving new function to old spaces through adaptive reuse can lead to incredible design innovations that play off of pre-existing features. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Architecture:** Opportunities for architecture firms to take on sustainable building restoration projects that breathe new life into old structures through modern design. - **Real Estate Development:** There is a growing demand for developers with a commitment to sustainable practices and designs, creating new opportunities to develop chic living spaces in neglected areas. - **Urban Planning:** Urban planners can create more efficient and inventive living spaces by incorporating adaptive reuse and gridded urban design into plans for neglected areas. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Tiled Refurbished Apartments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/parramon-tahull.md) - [Triangular Social Housing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lady-raval.md) - [Social Housing Unit Blocks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/54-social-housing.md) - [Abandoned Bar-Transformed Apartments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/xstudio.md) - [Gridded Screen Apartment Blocks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/residential-building-1.md) - [Barcelona Apartment Renovation Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/isern-serra.md) - [Hand-Fan Plan Apartments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cometa-architects.md) - [Traditional Sandstone Housing Blocks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/living-in-lime.md) - [Brutalist Concrete Tower Apartments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/studio-noju.md)